Mining Incidents

Mine No. 1: 106 MSHA citations Coal

Harvest-Time Coal, Inc. · Underground
Controlled by Dick J Plaster
Honaker, Russell County, VA  ·  Abandoned and Sealed
MSHA Mine ID: 4405510

Mine No. 1 has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
20
Years on record
1985–2002
Latest incident
Nov 2002
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
106
citations
28
significant & substantial
$7,371
proposed penalties
$7,371
paid to date
100% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $0 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
79
inspections on record
1,768
inspection hours
6.0
citations per 100 inspection hours
This rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
106 citations across 1,768 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

Mine No. 1 has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $0 outstanding across 0 contested dockets.

Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$0
outstanding
106 assessments are final orders; 0 contested dockets.
As of the most recent assessment on 2002-12-17.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
Shares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
26.4%
significant & substantial
0.0%
high negligence or reckless
26.4%
reasonably likely or greater
0.9%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.9% none, 6.6% low, 92.5% moderate, 0.0% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at Mine No. 1 shows 94% of 362 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.

Health sampling
A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.

Respirable coal dust
Respirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.

Last sampled: 2002-11-18, 23 years ago
94%
within 1.5 mg/m3
362
samples
7.22
dust max (mg/m3)
145 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 217 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR215
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)30
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (OFF STANDARD)29

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2002-10-02, 23 years ago
6.7
silica avg (%)
19
samples
11.8
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR16

Noise
The share counts noise samples whose measured dose exceeded the 90 dBA permissible exposure limit. It describes the sampled workplace, not what reached the miner's ear: hearing conservation programs and the hearing protection worn during the shift are recorded separately and are not reflected here.

Last sampled: 2002-01-09, 24 years ago
16%
over PEL
19
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • CONTINUOUS MINER OPERATOR6
  • SHUTTLE CAR OPERATOR (STANDARD SIDE)5
  • ROOF BOLTER (SINGLE HEAD)4
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Health sampling trend
A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.
Respirable coal dust by year
Respirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2002 94% 105
2001 97% 125
2000 91% 132
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2002 7.0 6
2001 6.6 4
2000 6.6 9
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2002 0% 2
2001 20% 10
2000 14% 7
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.

Mine No. 1 recorded 5.54 reportable injury cases per 100 full-time workers in 2002.

Injury rate, 2002
This rate is reportable injury cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers per year, computed as 200,000 times cases divided by MSHA operator-reported employee-hours. Cases are injuries MSHA graded degree 01 through 07; accident-only events that hurt no one are excluded, and so are contractor injuries, whose hours do not attach to a single mine. Rates begin in 2000, when quarterly employment reporting starts, and are withheld below 20,000 hours in a year.
5.54
total case rate
0.00
days-away rate
0.000
fatality rate
Below average. The US coal mining average was 6.89 and the all-US-mining average was 5.05 cases per 100 workers.
In Virginia, coal mining averaged 6.43 cases per 100 workers that year.
Under 100,000 employee-hours were reported that year, so a single case moves the rate by two or more. Read the figure as approximate.
Year total case rate days-away fatal
2002 * 5.54 0.00 0.000
2001 * 10.14 5.07 0.000
2000 * 0.00 0.00 0.000
* Fewer than 100,000 employee-hours that year; the rate is less stable.
Source: injury cases from MSHA accident and injury records; employee-hours from MSHA quarterly employment reports. Rate is cases per 100 full-time-equivalent workers, operator employees only.
Ownership history
  1. Hargreaves Mitchell Inc 1980 to 1984
  2. Amanda Coal Company 1984 to 1984
  3. Chad Coal Corp 1984 to 1985
  4. Wildcat Mining Inc 1985 to 1985
  5. Red Dog Coal Corp 1985 to 1987
  6. Echota Mining Company 1987 to 1989
  7. Wachob Coal Corp 1989 to 1991
  8. Star Mining Inc 1991 to 1993
  9. Star Mining Inc 1993 to 1993
  10. Star Mining Inc 1993 to 1993
  11. Hilltop Coal Inc 1993 to 1994
  12. K & N Energy Inc 1994 to 1995
  13. Magic Nugget Coal Company Inc 1995 to 1996
  14. Lucky J Coal Company Inc 1996 to 1996
  15. D J Coal Inc 1996 to 2002
  16. Harvest-Time Coal, Inc. 2002 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Coal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year Employees Coal produced (tons)
2002 16 96,522
2001 16 92,418
2000 18 105,260
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

Mine No. 1 sits in Russell County, Virginia, where the Census mining category is 4.5% of county employment.

Local economic context
County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Russell County, Virginia · Population 25,635
4.5%
Mining share of county employment
$49,020
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2002 Q4 5,052 12 1 2375.3
2002 Q3 8,821 14 9 1587.1
2002 Q2 10,402 5 1 480.7
2002 Q1 11,859 7 1 590.3
2001 Q4 9,854 9 3 913.3
2001 Q3 10,263 10 3 974.4
2001 Q2 10,180 5 1 491.2
2001 Q1 9,153 7 3 764.8
Show 4 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2000 Q4 11,512 10 2 868.7
2000 Q3 10,771 9 2 835.6
2000 Q2 11,888 6 0 504.7
2000 Q1 10,986 12 2 1092.3
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

20 on file

2002 · 1 incident

November 14, 2002 VA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Harvest-Time Coal, Inc. · Struck against stationary object

MOVING BELT LINE BACK, EE STRIKING SIDE OF HEAD ON BELT LINE HANGER PLATE CUTTING LEFT EAR.

2001 · 3 incidents

December 7, 2001 VA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator FALL OF FACE/RIB/PILLAR/SIDE/HIGHWALL
D J Coal Inc · Struck by falling object

DRAW ROCK BETWEEN ROOF SUPPORT AND RIB LINE FAILED STRIKING RIGHT ANKEL DR REPORT SPRAIN ANKLE.

December 5, 2001 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
D J Coal Inc · Accident type, without injuries

NOTE: ON 12-5-01 MAKING WEEKLY INSEPECTION OF RETURN'S AREA'S INSPECTION WAS BEEN MADE WITH CLEARENCE BOONE. MAKING RIGHT SIDE RETURN OBSERVED AT ROCK FALL AT STATION #1718 BETWEEN TO PILLAR B LOCK'S ROCK SIZE 40' L 16' TO 20' W 1 TO 6' THICK BOLT'S 35" & 75 GRADE CONVENTIONAL, SLICKUM SLIDED SLIP.

July 3, 2001 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
D J Coal Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

BENDING 6' ROOF BOLT.

2000 · 1 incident

December 11, 2000 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
D J Coal Inc · Accident type, without injuries

EMPLOYEE WAS MAKING PRESHIFT EXAM WHEN HE FOUND THE PHONE DIDN'T WORK. HE HEARD A THUMP, WHEN HE WENT TO CHECK HE FOUND A FALL AT SPAD 1513. IT WAS 32' LONG 6' HIGH, 11' WIDE.

1998 · 2 incidents

September 16, 1998 VA · Coal FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
D J Coal Inc · Accident type, without injuries

NOTE: ON 9-16-98 MAKING WEEKLY INSPECTION OF RETURN AND BLEEDERS INSPACTION WAS BEEN MADE. FOUND ROCK FALL IN RIGHT RETURN. 1ST BREAK INBY CHECK STATION #868 BETWEEN #7 & #8 ENTRY. ROCK SIZE 2 5' LONG, 18" WIDE, 5' HIGH AT PEAK POINT. BOLTS INSTALLED 36" - 75 GRADE CONVENTIONAL. 4500 FROM SURFACE, MINED ON 8-97

March 18, 1998 VA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman NONPOWERED HAULAGE
D J Coal Inc · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

EMPLOYEE WAS MOVING A JUNK PIECE OF MINER CABLE ON SURFACE WITH 3-WHEEL CART AND HOLDING ON TO IT BY HAND. IT SLIPPED AND CUT HIS LEFT HAND. TAKING 5 STITCHES TO FIX INJURY.

1997 · 1 incident

February 14, 1997 VA · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler STRIKING OR BUMPING
D J Coal Inc · Struck against stationary object

WALKING BETWEEN S/C & RIB, WALKED INTO THE TOP. TOP SLOPING FROM 54" TO 49". DRY BOTTOM. NO OBJECTS. FREE OF DEBRY. [DR. REPORTED SLIGHT NECK STRAIN].

1994 · 1 incident

October 1, 1994 VA · Coal electrician, lineman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
K & N Energy Inc · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

WORKING ON MINOR SPEED REDUCER. REACH TO TURN SPEED REDUCER AND PULLED A MUSCLE. INJURED GROIN

1993 · 1 incident

January 4, 1993 VA · Coal section foreman, bullgang foreman, labor foreman, leadman, shift boss HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Star Mining Inc · Caught in, under or between (Not Elsewhere Classified)

MASHED HAND WITH RIPPER CHAIN WHILE INSTALLING ON MACHINE.

1992 · 4 incidents

November 18, 1992 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Star Mining Inc · Struck by falling object

ROCK FELL FROM ROOF BETWEEN TWO ROOF BOLTS STRIKING ROOF BOLTER MACHINE AND OPERATOR.

November 13, 1992 VA · Coal shuttle car operator, mantrip operator, ramcar operator, rail runner, buggy operator HANDTOOLS (NONPOWERED)
Star Mining Inc · Struck by flying object

CHANGING BITS ON MINER PIECE OF METAL HIT HIS EYE WHEN BIT WAS STRUCK WITH HAMMER.

September 28, 1992 VA · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator FALL OF ROOF OR BACK
Star Mining Inc · Struck by falling object

WHILE OPERATING A CONTINUOUS MINER,A ROCK FELL FROM THE TOP STRIKING OPERATOR ON HARD HAT AND NECK.

April 9, 1992 VA · Coal laborer, blacksmith, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, pick-up man, pitman HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Star Mining Inc · Over-exertion in lifting objects

LOADING OXYGEN BOTTLE WHEN BENT OVER AND SET BOTTLE TO THE GROUND AND STRAIGHTEN BACK UP-SHARP PAIN IN LOWER BACK.

1990 · 2 incidents

November 15, 1990 VA · Coal motorman, motor person, swamper, switchman, locomotive operator POWERED HAULAGE
Wachob Coal Corp · Caught in, under or between a moving and a stationary object

EE CAUGHT RIGHT ELBOW BETWEEN MOTOR AND CAR AND RESULTING IN BRUISE WAS X RAYED AND RETURNED TO WORK SAME DAY.

March 7, 1990 VA · Coal laborer, bull gang, parts runner, roustabout, roof trimmer/scaler POWERED HAULAGE
Wachob Coal Corp · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

RUNNING S AND S UNDER MINER CABLE

1988 · 2 incidents

June 14, 1988 VA · Coal roof bolter, rock bolter, pinner, mobile roof support operator (mrs) MACHINERY
Echota Mining Company · Struck by falling object

PINNER STEEL CAME OUT OF HOLE AND HIT LEFT ARM.BROKE LEFT ARM ABOUT 3" FROM HAND.

January 23, 1988 VA · Coal continuous miner operator, coal mole operator HANDLING OF MATERIALS
Echota Mining Company · Struck by... (Not Elsewhere Classified)

THE VICTIM WAS 1ULLING A STEEL ROPE,WHEN IT SLIPPED OUT OF HIS HANDS AND HIT HIM IN THE EYE.

1986 · 1 incident

1985 · 1 incident